Animal trap



June 9, 1931 a NELSON i 1,808,903

ANIMAL TRAP Filed Aug. 21. 1930 113.3 frapzvzr Patented June 9, 1931UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SVEN NELSON, OF HORNEPAYNE, ONTARIO, CANADA.TLBTIIBLLAII TRAP Application filed August 21, 1930, Serial No.476,931, and in Canada August 26, 1929.

This invention relates to improvements in Mounted on the base 12 andspaced apart animal traps and has for one of its principal from eachother at intervals of ninety deobjects the provision of a readilyportable grees around the base is a plurality of sets and easilyoperated trap which will be parof uprights l4, and these uprights inturn ticularly efficient for trapping small animals support the top 16for the trap. This top 55 such as gophers or the like, and which willhas preferably an opening 18 formed therein also be useful for trappingfur bearing aniconcentric with the opening 12 and desirably mals withoutin any way damaging the skins. of a slightly larger diameter, the outerdi- One of the important objects of this inameter of the top beingslightly less than the vention is to provide in an animal trap meanscorresponding outside dimension of the base. 60 for placing the same insuch relation to the It will be noted,'however, that the inner edge holeor place of abode of the animal that it of the opening 18 overhangs theupright 14 Will be practically impossible for said anito a considerableextent so that it is pracma-l to emerge or escape from said holewithtic'ally impossible for an animal to crawl 1 out becoming entangledin the trap. through the upper opening of the trap. 65

Another and still further important 013- The space between each set ofuprights jeot of the invention is to provide an animal let is filled bythe platform 20 pivotally trap which is simple and economical ofconmounted at 22, the pivotal mounting being struction, readilyoperated, and therefore, slightly above the upper face of the base 12 20not likely to get out of order, and which and the rear edge of theplatform extending 7 furthermore, dispenses with the use of baitslightly beyond the pivotal point as best in any form. shown in Figure-2.

Other and further important objects of the Mounted upon each platform 20is a jaw in invention will be apparent from the disthe form of a pieceof metal or strong wire closures in the accompanying drawings and shapedas shown at 24 in the figures. This 75 following specification. jaw ispivoted inside a helical spring 26, one

The invention, in a preferred form, is illusend of whi h p ing is xtendd outwardly trated in the drawings and hereinafter more and curvedaround an arm of the jaw as shown fully described. at 28', the other endof the spring being forced 30 In the drawings: behind the rear edge ofthe'platform 20 as 8 Figure 1 is a top plan view of the improved shownat 30. animal trap of this in n ifm- When the jaw-element 24 is raisedupward- Figure 2 is a side eleva lon h r fly, the spring 26 is placedunder tension in Figure 3 is a detail Vi w of one Of the an obviousmanner and the outer lip of the dividual traps forming part of theapparatus. j l t i th h k d Over a it bl 85 AS Shown in the d a gsprojection 32 fastened to one of the uprights The reference numeral 10ind cates gener- 14 as b t ho i Fi 2, Thi c n b ally the base of theimproved an p of readily accomplished by depressing the front thlsmventlqn Whlch 13 P b y falrly edge of the platform 20 slightly wherebythe heavy mammal and of E y deslled Size and rear edge is raisedsufficiently to allow the lip 90 shape according to the size and natureof the f th jaw 24 to be placed in position over animals for which thetrap is intended. This th j ti 32 metal plate has a circular or otheropening 12 Ob i l as o n as an animal steps upon cut in the centralportion thereof as shown in any f th l tf go i tt ti t Figures 1 and thePlate ite1f being p make its wav out of the trap through the 95 ed to bePlaced Over a hole 111 the g (111d space between the uprights 14, the aw24 will the like which forms the abode of the animals b le d on c t f thwa d ti to be trapped, such as gophers, prairie dogs, of the rear end ofthe platform and the spring rats, mice, and even larger and otheranimals, will force the jaw downward trapping the 1 particularly furbearing animals and the like. animal. Q0

The trap itself can be made of any size or shape as desired, and of asulficient weight to be retained in any position where it is placed. Inorder. to make sure of trapping the animals additional exits to theirholes may be covered by other traps or blocked by stones.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details ofconstruction varied throughout a wide range without departing from theprinciples of this invention, and I, therefore, do not purpose limitingthe patent granted hereon otherwise than as necessitated by the priorart. v

I claim as my invention:

. 1. An animal trap including a base having an opening for the passageof animals upwardly therethrough, and spring trapsspaced about the saidopening, said spring traps comprising platforms and spring-operated jawspivotally mounted on the platforms, said platforms being themselvespivotally mounted on the base and comprising release elements for thespring jaws upon depression of the platforms. 7

2. An animal trap including a base having an opening for the passage ofanimals upwardly therethrough, and spring traps spaced about the saidopening alternately with means prohibiting the passage of animals exceptover the traps, said means comprising uprights, said traps comprisingplatforms pivotally mounted on the base and spring jaws pivotallymounted on the platforms, and means on the uprights for retaining thespring jaws in set position.

3. An animal trap including a base having an opening for the passageofanimals upwardly therethrough, and. spring traps spaced about the saidopening alternately with means prohibiting the passage of animals exceptover the traps, said means comprising uprights, said traps comprisingplatforms pivotally mounted onthe base and spring jaws pivotally mountedon the platforms, and means on the uprights for retaining the springjaws in set position, said means comprising extensions from which thespring jaws are released upon depression of the forward end of thepivoted platforms.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

SVEN NELSON.

